Three days of strikes on Greater Anglia services announced for January

Greater Anglia staff will go on strike in January Picture: Ellie Hoskins

Archant

Staff on Greater Anglia services are set to stage three days of walkouts in a dispute over driver only operated trains.

The RMT union confirmed that its members will be taking industrial action on Monday, January 8, Wednesday, January 10 and Friday, January 12.

Strike action will also take place on Northern Rail, Merseyrail, South Western Railways and Island Line on the same days, while Southern Rail staff will walk out on the Monday only.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Every single effort that RMT has made to reach negotiated settlements in these separate disputes with the different train operating companies over safe operation and safe staffing has been kicked back in our faces and we are left with no option but to confirm a further phase of industrial action in the New Year.”

The Greater Anglia dispute centres around the role of guards and driver only operation of trains.

The network calls at London Liverpool Street, Stratford and Romford and extends to parts of Essex and Norfolk, and operates around 60 per cent of its trains without conductors.

A strike had already been called for Wednesday, December 27.

Richard Dean, Greater Anglia Trains service delivery director, said: “We are very disappointed that the RMT has announced three more strike days, in January, in addition to the strike on Wednesday, December 27, as we have been holding constructive talks with union officials.

“We will be running our full Christmas service as planned if the RMT strike goes ahead next Wednesday, and intend to run a full service on January 8, 10 and 12.”

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